Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1887-11-17
THURSDAY NIGHT IN THE JAIL.
How the Prisoners Rcsted-ParsOns'D Death
SOng-Testing the acknowledgements
for the Execution.

How the Prisoners Rcsted-ParsOns'D Death
SOng-Testing tho acknowledgements
for the Execution.
How did the condemned men pass their last
night on earth-how did they sleep? Not very
well during the first part of the night. At IL
o'clock Parsons was still awake, tossing uneas-
lily on his couch. Spies could not sleep, it ap-
peared. He remained twisting about with
wide-opon eyes, aud naturally his sense Of hear
ing was acute. Certainly he must have heard
the sound made by the carpenters when they
were putting up the gallows. That could not
have escaped him very WELL because 1t was
distinctly audible oven in the Jail Office and the
door there WIS closed so as to shut out all
sounds that might distgg9 the a9oms4 ilas
greater. Perfect and entirc quietuess prevailed
Only the kissing noise OF the burning gas was
heard. A few minutes before Parsons moved
to the uttermost of feeling sang annie Laurie.
The guaids were in his cell at the time. They
couldn t or wouldn't prevent his singing; but
as his voice went up in that old song stir
was noted in tho cells on either side Of mur-
derers row. The prisoners were awakened
They listened, their heads propped up on
their elbows to tho homely but pathetic
ditty, and more than tinge Of sadness char
acterized the plaintve voice OF the singer. He
was singing his death-song. Mayhap in years
agone he sang Annie Laurie to his little ones
at home. 1t was favorite air of his, for at all
| events IL was the last one he would sing before
| lying down for his last rest He slept we'll
| So did Engel and Fischer Two guards were
| in the cell of each man. Other guards
were outside the cell; outside the
| COrrluOf were OJDOr BubsuH, MORO RuhIIb
were in the Jail yard, and still more Of them
were outside and all around the Criminal
Court building They all felt pretty secure for
only that afternoon. All afternoon civil en-
| gineers had examined every street and thor
| oughfare adjoining in n quest after explosive
| mines. The engine ra finished their exanina-
| tion toward nightfall, and their assurance was
| to the effect that despite all talk to the con-
trary, there WAS anarchist mine in any Of
| the streets leading to the Jail or Criminal Cont
Before midnight AMI while tho anarchists
| were either sleeping or foigning sleep, the gal
| lows were nut m They arc the ones used in
| the execution of Mulkowskv and the three Ital-
| ians About 1 O'Clock Friday morning they
| were tested, Just as had been done in the case
| OF the Italians, and they were found to operate
| without any hndrarce.
| A bag OF sand weighing lS) pounds was swung
| off four times once from each rope, and with
| no other effe than to stretch the rope trile.
| The ropes wero of excellent quality, and en-
| dured tho test TO the best advantage. Experts
| who were present said there wasn't doubt
| but that the ropes could be depended on
| At two O'Clock tho-o was absolutely moth.
| ing undono wagon had boen driven III
| to the Jail some tmo before, and four collins
| were taken out and deposited in the basement
| adjoining the kitchen. That was the very las
| preparation for the impending tragedy. The
| o ficials WHO were TO lerforIn the execution
| silent the men to be executed slept. TIVE
| guards watched the slumber OF each of tn,
| doomed men. From midnight forward till day
broak silence reigncd in tho jail